A 28 year old male stucco mason died as a result of falling approximately 48 feet from a scaffold. The victim had been employed for 6 months as a stucco mason by a contracting company that had been in operation for 18 months. The company employed 16 workers, including eight stucco masons. The employer had no written safety policy and did not use written safety rules or procedures. At the time of the accident, the victim was working as a member of a 16 person crew assigned to continue work on a six floor college dormitory. The victim apparently began climbing to the next level of scaffolding by stepping onto the bottom guardrail. He had previously been observed climbing from level to level of the scaffolding without using the built in scaffold ladder. The guardrail gave way allowing the victim to fall approximately 48 feet to the ground. It was recommended that where the potential for a fall from an elevation exists, employers should ensure that fall protection equipment is provided and used by the workers. Employers should conduct initial and periodic inspections of erected scaffolding. Employers should comply with OSHA standards 1926.451(a)(4) which requires that guardrails and toeboards be installed on all open sides and ends of platforms more than 10 feet above ground or floor and 1926.451(a)(6), which requires screens between guardrails and toeboards where persons are required to work or pass under the scaffold.